


A Slow Surrender

by JessamineStallone



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-03-22
Updated: 2015-03-28
Packaged: 2018-03-19 03:54:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,800
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3595359
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JessamineStallone/pseuds/JessamineStallone
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hermione and Ron's marriage is suffering. Will they be able to hang on with another man wedging his way in?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. An Off Year

Chapter 1: "An Off Year"

June, 2003

"Do I look alright? I mean, it's just mum and dad but is it alright?"

Hermione fastened her pearls and looked over Ron's appearance through the mirror. It wasn't great, she thought to herself, but at least he was making an effort.

"Yes, it's just your tie. It's all crooked and lumpy," she stood walked over to him and reached up to fix it but he jerked away.

"I can do it." He said fumbling with the thing, "Just tell me when it's right."

Hermione sighed, her arms crossed under her chest, watching the tie with an extreme intensity. This had become a regular thing- tension. She couldn't remember any particular reason that could have set them down this path but just that he had stopped touching her and she had stopped touching him. That little things that shouldn't matter suddenly did, like when he stopped brining her licorice wands home from Zonkos after work and how she didn't turn down the blankets on his side of the bed anymore. That he didn't hold her hand when they went out and that she didn't stick her hand under his shirt when he was upset.

"That's better."

For the first time in a while Hermione had disregarded her own logical thoughts, telling herself it was just an off year. Three was an odd number after all. Hermione loved her husband and she was certain he loved her too. Every couple had problems, she knew, and got through them. They just needed some time.

"You look- nice." Ron said a little awkwardly, looking over Hermione's blue summer dress and then cleared his throat, "Are you ready to go?"

She nodded and they started towards the floo. The whole Weasley family was meeting at a new restaurant in 'Flora's Way' a town just beside Hogsmead. It was Mr. Weasley's sixtieth birthday and Mrs. Weasley thought it would be a nice way to celebrate. Ron had left the gift to Hermione and she had gone to muggle London for it, returning with a golden Kelidescope. She remembered her father-in-law once speaking about the child's toy and how fascinating it had been and how, if he hadn't had to destroy the thing, he would have certainly kept it.

Hermione smiled to herself, he would absolutely love it.

They were the first to arrive at the restaurant which infuriated Ron as he had made a point of arriving at the least ten minutes late in the Weasley fashion.

"Typical." He muttered angrily to himself, tugging at his tie, "I'll be at the bar of they decide to show up."

Hermione rolled her eyes, Ron had developed a bit of a habit with strong drink but she didn't protest as she might have in any other situation. She knew Ron hated when everybody got together, six children, five with spouses, and then three granddaughters sitting side by side in a public place, usually there was a small disaster.

Harry, Ginny, Fluer, Bill, Victoire and Dominique arrived all the same time. Charlie a few moments later and then a huffing and puffing Percy along with his wife Ponelope and daughter Molly. A heavily pregnant Angelina stormed in followed by a sheepish looking George.

"Everyone here?" He asked.

"Everyone except the people who planned this whole blasted thing." Ron had turned back up holding a glass with a strong smelling liquid. "You would think, without any children to deal with, they would have at least learned how to be fashionably late."

As if on cue Mr. and Mrs. Weasley arrived, Molly apologizing profusely and snuggling each of her granddaughters before making a point to say hello to everyone else. Very noisily and in what looked like a procession, the group followed the waitress to a back room. They had all just settled down, still nosily chattering when Mrs. Weasley looked around confused and said,

"Where's Fred?"

The atmosphere immediately changed and the room fell silent, even the children stopped whining.

Nobody dared to look at each other.

Mrs. Weasley shook her head and buried her face in her hands, her shoulders suddenly shaking with sobs. She had realized what she was saying as soon as the words crossed her lips. The silence was very awkward.

George violently pushed away from the table and stormed out of the room. Fred was something they just didn't talk about. The lack of his presence was sort of an unspoken acknowledgement and although it had been five years all the Weasleys tremendously struggled still with his death. Eventually Molly stopped crying and George returned halfway through a very subdued dinner. Arthur did not open his gifts and they all went home early than expected with heavy hearts.

"Well that happened." Hermione said solemnly. When she didn't get a response, she placed a hand on Ron's shoulder, "I know how you feel."

He jerked his shoulder away, "No you don't. You've never lost someone so close."

"Are you _serious_?" She asked, "What about my parents? Remember them? You only think about yourself, that's all you've ever done. Don't you ever think I feel bad about not having a family when you've got a mother and a father and five brothers and sisters still? I don't ever say that to you do I?"

Ron sighed. "Hermione-"

"Go to hell, Ron." She slammed the door to their bedroom, "I don't know why I married you! It was a mistake, a complete mistake!"

He stood in the living room, hands in his pockets, listening to the muffled sounds of Hermione storming around in the bedroom.

"Sometimes I think that too." He said to himself and went in search of a blanket for the couch.

* * *

 

 "Shit-"

Hermione opened her eyes groggily but then immediately closed them in exasperation. Ron was stumbling around the room,

"Where are my pants?" He kept mumbling, attempting to keep his voice down but failing to realize how heavy footed and clumsy he was.

Hermione sighed and sat up, "If you have lost your pants I should remind you that you're a wizard." She said sharply, rolling her eyes at the dumbfounded look on his face.

Lately her patience had been running thinner, especially after their fight on Mr. Weasley's birthday. They had gotten somewhat back to normal, if normal was the right word.

Hermione flopped back down on the bed, "I suggest," she said severely, "that you use your wand to summon them, if that thought hadn't occurred to you yet."

"Right," Ron mumbled, snatching his wand off the bedside table. His uniform pants came soaring forward and Ron sniffed them with a triumphant look on his face. With some effort he got them on and then bent down to kiss Hermione on the cheek,

"See you later."

She nodded.

He seemed to do everything as a formality now. Even sex had become a chore which was hardly pleasurable only justified with the pretense of becoming pregnant. Hermione sighed again. When she thought about it, perhaps getting married at the ripe age of twenty had not been the best idea. At the time it had seemed a good thought. Everybody seemed annoyingly happy for them after all and they surely didn't stop them.

She got up and dressed in a simple sundress. The firm had given her a few days off as it had been and unusually nice summer term for them. Hermione hated being a lawyer. It was terribly dull and boring as she only was allowed small claims because of her age. She could only just deal with it when she and Ron were getting along now the thought of another work day seemed unbearable.

Glad to get out of another long, drawn out day she ventured to the sitting room in their small cottage.

"Ginny?" She called through the fire place, once she had ventured into the kitchen. "Ginny?"

There was no answer. The silence seemed to settle into her bones. Ginny and Harry were probably both at work and suddenly Hermione sorely missed Hogwarts with frivolous games she had hardly ever partook in and constant company.

Later she decided to go to Hogesmade and ventured down to a few of the little shops. Something caught her eye in a shop window and she hurried in- mortified.

"Good morning Mrs. Green," she said with a forced politeness to the elderly shopkeeper, "I just came to- well, um did I see a figurine of my friend Harry Potter in your window?"

The woman gave her a toothless grin and instead of answering pulled out a large box from under the counter.

Hermione gasped and rushed forward.

There were at least fifty, twelve inch figurines of Harry, Ron and Herself. She picked one of herself and squinted at it. The little thing shot little sparks from her wand and said things like, "I'm Hermione Granger," "Lumos,"(the wand lit up) and spit out a few random facts about anything and everything.

Hermione thought she might become ill- right there in the shop. This had become somewhat of a regular occurrence after the war when she went out in public. She, Ron, and Harry had become celebrities of sorts. People sometimes asked for a quick photograph or autograph and Rita Skeeter absolutely refused to leave them alone asking them for interviews, to make public appearances or give her insight for her new book.

Hermione despised it.

She hated the attention, more, the lack of privacy and all the credit given to them. So many more people had been involved, wounded, killed.

"How many of these do you have?" She asked the old woman hastily.

"Well this is it for now but if they sell, i'll stock up again." She smiled, "They made you perfectly, isn't that fantastic?"

"Brilliant," Hermione muttered. She pulled a hand full of gold out of her satchel "I'll take them all. Will this cover it?"

Mrs. Green looked as if Christmas had come early, "Yes, I believe it would and then some. Although, I don't know if I have the proper change."

"It's alright, Merlin knows they've given me too much." The Order of Merlin had award all three of them an enormous sum of money for their "services". "I'll just ask that you don't buy anymore of these. Have a nice day Mrs. Green." She said lifting the box off the counter and head out the door.

"And you, Mrs. Weasley."

She shuffled into the street muttering to herself only paying attention to her surroundings when she made contact with another body.

"I'm so sorry!" She bent down and began to pick up the little dolls. "I wasn't paying attention-"

" _Granger_?"

Hermione froze. The voice made a chill run down her spine and every hair on her body stood on end. She slowly raised her eyes.

Draco Malfoy.

He stared at her for a moment and then bent down to pick up a figurine, looking at it with an amused sneer.

"Funny." He said simply.

She threw the last one that laid on the ground into the box and then turned on her heel without saying a word.

"Wait! Granger- Wait!"

He caught her by the arm.

Hermione jerked it away vehemently, "What do you want?" She spit.

He averted his eyes to the ground in such a shameful way that Hermione wasn't sure she was actually talking to the same person.

"I- um- well, I just wanted to say I'm sorry, I'm sorry for everything."

This took Hermione completely by surprise,

" _What_?" She hissed.

"Well I won't say it again so..."

" _You're sorry_?" She said with uncertainty.

Draco Malfoy apologizing to her of all people?

He nodded, "I- when my father died I finally saw him for who he was and therefore who I was."

 "He's dead? How?"

Malfoy stood awkwardly, pondering her question, although not surprised by the hopeful tone in her voice.

"He- well he hung himself. After Voldemort was gone." His face contorted into a familiar scowl, his voice filled with bitterness, "He left a note but there was no mention of Mother or me. It turns out we didn't matter at all."

Hermione wasn't sorry that Mr. Malfoy was dead so she didn't let on as so. it would have been the polite thing to do but he was Malfoy and she wasn't going to be polite.

 They stood awkwardly.

"Alright." Hermione finally said. She hurried out into the sunshine quickly followed by Malfoy.

"Wait, Granger!" He called again. "Please, I said I'm sorry. I've changed and I just want to- to be on better terms."

"We can't be on better terms, Malfoy!" Her eyes widened, "I can forgive the school teasing, even the fact that you were a death eater, but not for that night at the manor." Tears welled up in her eyes, "Me screaming? Look-" she held out her arm. A thin white lettering messily scattered her forearm.

"I lied for Potter, you know?" He spit, "I could've have died! It would have been over."

"Do you want me to thank you?"

After a tense moment, Malfoy sighed, "No."

She started to walk away again but his voice stopped her. 

"We burnt it to the ground if that makes you feel any better."

"What?" Hermione asked thickly, wiping tears from her eyes.

"The manor, it's gone and everything in it. Mother and I felt it was the best way for us to move on, make a new life. Get rid of it."

Hermione looked at Malfoy dubiously, a strange feeling swirling in her chest. "You did?"

He nodded. "I truly am trying."

Hermione didn't know what to say. The house where she'd been tortured was gone. Hopefully now her pain would die with it.

She should have walked away, just said goodbye and left but she didn't.

"It's Weasley now." 

"Brilliant."


	2. A Wise Choice

**Chapter 2: A Wise Choice**

May 2004

Hermione gazed dreamily out the window at the full moon that hovered high in the sky. It was very late and Ron still wasn't back from work so she had decided to wait for him to come home like, she assumed, any good wife would do.

The problem was she somehow found it difficult care when he would be getting home or what kind of dangerous work he had been and for these reasons it became increasingly harder to keep her eyes open.

Another "off year" as she so fondly named it, had come and gone. She and Ron still were not getting along like they used to but then again, some days were better than others. The days Hermione thought of divorce always turned out to be tolerable and the days she thought they could make it another fifty years always ended in a screaming match.

Suddenly a dark shadow distilled the steadiness of the moon. It was an owl, soaring high above the ground, surely only carrying a love letter or important ministry business at this time of night.

The large Grandfather Clock chimed once.

Hermione sighed and turned the page of her book, perhaps now beginning to be a bit worried.

_"Surely if something had happened they would have told me by now."_ She thought quickly about flooing Molly or Ginny but decided against worrying them just yet.

Ron had been home late quite a few times after all.

A tapping at the window stirred her thoughts and surprisingly, made her heart sink. A very old, regal looking owl was at the window, clutching a letter.

_"If Ron had been killed someone from the ministry would have come in person_ ," she comforted herself, opening the window shakily, " _They wouldn't send a letter."_

A sigh of relief escaped her when she did not see the familiar purple MM stamp on the envelope, instead there was a familiar emerald green lettering. Hermione regarded it suspiciously for a moment and then excitement surged through her body. She opened it carefully and began to read.

_Dear Mrs. Weasely,_

_I have been in anxious anticipation of writing this letter for a long, long while now and I can not express how delighted I am to offer you a post at Hogwarts as the new Charms Professor. Professor Flitwick recently decided to retire and the only person he and I simply cannot think of a better person for the job. I do realize that it is a tremendous decision to make and so I would like to invite you to the McGonagall Manor on the twenty ninth of May, a Saturday, to talk some things over. If you feel so obliged, please owl and I will see you then._

_Wishing you well,_

_Minerva McGonagall_

_Hogwarts Headmistress_

Hermione gaped at the short letter, although her first thought was the time of night it had arrived. She looked to the old owl that had, in the moments it took her to read the thing, dozed off and decided it was probably the source of the letter's lateness.

Hermione found her way back to the couch still dazed.

She wanted nothing more than to teach at Hogwarts, it was what she had  _always_ wanted. All there was to do was say yes. But she was married and taking the post would mean quite a bit of time away from Ron. As unhappy as she was in her marrige, Hermione was just as loyal.

She folded the letter up and composed a short note agreeing to at least meet McGonagall, sending the owl on its way. Hermione would have to sleep on it with or without Ron being home.

* * *

 

Tension between Ron and Hermione ran extremely high that week for some reason and on Friday night Hermione stomped into the kitchen.

"Negative." She threw the muggle pregnancy test across the counter and watched it slide before sending to the rubbish bin with her wand. "I- it's not happening, Ron. Maybe we should stop trying for a while. Why are we in such a hurry?"

Ron shrugged and continued eating his dinner.

"I mean we are still young, perhaps it's _too_ early." She continued aware that what she said made no logical sense at all. 

"Well we've been married four years, I don't see how that's  _too early._ I mean _,_ it couldn't be, mum and dad had both Bill and Charile at our age." He said, "My family's never had a problem having babies. Maybe there's something wrong with you."

Hermione coughed, " _What was that_ ,  _Ron_?" She didn't give him time to answer, "There's something wrong with _me_? You can be such a complete arse sometimes! Why would you- you just- you're - Ughh!" 

"I'm just saying, Hermione, that my family is very fertile!" He said loudly over the angry banging of pots and pans that had begun.

"And mine's not?"

He threw his fork down. "God Damn! You're so sensitive! We're seriously fighting over whose family is more fertile! Don't you know how mental this is?" He laughed a little but in a humorless way. "Okay, alright, you win. We'll stop trying."

"Good!" She screeched. "I don't want to be that couple that has a baby to save their marriage, anyway!"

"So now our marriage needs saving. Brilliant."

"Yes, _Ronald_ , as a matter of fact it does. I can't live like this anymore."

Ron rolled his eyes. " _Fucking Hell!_ Live like what?"

"Like us!" Hermione bent her head over the sink, hot tears rolling down her cheeks. For a moment and unsettling silence encompassed them. "I'm leaving."

" _Sorry_?"

 "Professor McGonagall offered me a post. As the charms professor." She whipped her eyes and turned to face him. "I'm going to take it. We need some time apart."

Ron had set his jaw and crossed his arms. For a swift moment he looked as if he may explode but then sighed. "I'll sleep on the couch."

* * *

 

The next day Hermione woke up and got dressed, paying particular attention to her appearance as this would be the first time she saw McGonagall since her wedding day over four years ago. She ventured into the sitting room where Ron snored loudly on the couch, arm flung over his eyes and, not bothering to tell him she was leaving, stepped outside and apperated straight to the front door of an impressive looking home.

After a very warm welcome and bit of catching up, the main reason for Hermione's presence was acknowledged.

"Now to business." Minerva said, eyeing her pointedly, "Obviously you're considering it. Like I said it's a bit of a commitment but there _are_ married professors. I can make sure you get home every night and back every morning in no time and-" 

"Professor- I mean, Minerva," Hermione interrupted. "Ron and I- well, we're thinking about getting a divorce. I won't be going home every night at this point."

McGonagall looked genuinely shocked, "A divorce?"

Hermione nodded. 

"Well this certainly _is_ unexpected!" She declared, stirring her tea feverishly. She took a slow drink, as if to calm herself down and then observed the younger woman with that classic stare. "If you don't mind me asking, what's the problem?"

"It's not just one thing." Hermione's voice came out sounding more defensive than planned. She sighed. "I think we were too hasty in getting married. Perhaps we did it because we needed something to celebrate after... after everything that happened."

McGonagall silently urged her to continue and Hermione found it hard to believe how easily her thoughts were spilling out.

"We were really very young to go and do something like that. I was only nineteen when he asked me and, of course I thought I knew what love was. I thought I loved him."

And there it was. She didn't regret feeling it but did wish she hadn't said it. 

Minerva sat pensively. 

"I-I don't know why I said that."

"Yes you do, Hermione." McGonagall said softly. "I was just thinking about how much of myself I see in you."

"Professor?"

Minerva had rose from her chair and now stood at a large window that overlooked a vast area of rolling hills. "I nearly married a man that lived just over that hill there." She pointed. "But I didn't because I only _thought_ Iloved him. I wish I had now because I _know_ I did loved him. I didn't fully understand that concept until I realized I would have to go through life without him."

Hermione gulped visibly.

"It's not the same story or in the same sequence, but it's still something you can learn from. Don't give in yet, my girl, because this could haunt you for the rest of your life."

"I'm not giving up." The younger woman shook her head adamantly. "I truly am hoping this will save us."

"Good." McGonagall seemed to relax. "So you're my new Charms Mistress?"

"Looks like it."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please comment, I'd love to know what you think! I don't own anything.

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: I originally posted this as another account. For those of you who haven't read it, I hope you like it. I want it to be a longer story so I'm going to try and actually finish this one.


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